


Trick or Treat

by gallygaskins



Category: Ugly Betty
Genre: F/M, Fluff and Smut
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-03
Updated: 2019-08-03
Packaged: 2020-07-30 04:55:17
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 10,573
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20091604
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/gallygaskins/pseuds/gallygaskins
Summary: So, I found this in my archive whilst looking to update another story. Read it through and wondered why I hadn't posted it before. Sorry, real life has been getting in the way recently, well for the last few years actually.It's Halloween and Daniel's reminiscing about times past. Initially set six months after Betty's departure for London to work at Dunne.





	Trick or Treat

** Trick or Treat **

As the bell rang loudly from the alarm clock on the nightstand, an arm suddenly shot out from underneath the covers and knocked it off its perch, breaking upon impact with the floor. 

Daniel Meade hid his head underneath a pillow and let out a frustrated scream, why did he envisage that today would be so difficult? Getting up and going to work had long since become a chore once he’d lost his best friend across the Atlantic, add to that that today was Halloween and anyone that knew either one of them would know that this was one of Betty’s favourite times of the year and he loved it too as a result. The sight of her with a crumpled antennae or the broken wing that she had somehow managed to sustain after attempting to retrieve his watch from God only knew where and God only knew who from, would stay with him as a cherished memory for the rest of his life. 

Knowing that there was little hope of him being able to relax, drop off back to sleep and hibernate for the day, he crawled out of bed and headed for the shower. The normally soothing spray did nothing to take away the bad mood he found himself being swallowed into and once he’d dressed, he left his apartment early deciding that a walk to the office may help clear his head. 

But nothing could get him out of his funk, not the crisp cold morning stroll through the park, nor the bustle of the diner where he’d ordered blueberry pancakes and knocked back several cups of strong black coffee. Nor his usual chat with Tony, the Meade front door security guard who Daniel had taken to speaking with before and after work every day since Betty had left; the man was like a third father to him, after Ignacio that was. 

The twenty eighth floor loomed in front of him as the doors to the elevator swiftly swished open and spilled the remnants of the car out into the stark foyer. He felt sick, honestly admitting to himself that he hated the décor, the bright orange donut and the bare electric blue and whitewashed walls held no joy, all in all the place had no heart. It hadn’t for nearly six months, everything had been bearable before Betty had left and then, just as suddenly, everything irked him. He’d even changed the furnishings in his office as he could no longer bear the cold, unfeeling pieces that had adorned the room for so long, it had made him realise that the reason he’d never needed to change anything before was because Betty had always been there to add her own touch of colour to the place. Colour that was now more sorely needed than anything else. 

He stepped over the threshold and into his domain, closing the door behind him as he contemplated how he’d narrowly missed Amanda’s twenty questions for the morning and briskly closed the drapes that had been put back up at his request not long after Betty had gone. Everyone knew that if they couldn’t see in then this was a signal for them to leave him alone. It also meant that he didn’t feel up to the lunchtime advertising meeting with Federico from Bulgari. Wilhelmina would have to do it on her own for a change, and he was soon typing up an email to tell her exactly that. After all, she still desperately wanted the EIC position, despite having chilled out a little since marrying Connor in the summer and finding out that her womb wasn’t quite as hostile as she had been led to believe. They were expecting a baby the following May. Why not make her work for it in the meantime though? 

After switching on the ‘do not disturb’ function on his office phone, he pulled out his dog-eared copy of the hundredth edition, opening up the cover and re-reading his letter for the umpteenth time. He wondered if Betty had received the copy he’d sent her, a post it note attached to the front expressly asking her to check out his grammar, wondered if she’d had the guts to read it through, contemplate it, understand his true meaning. 

Pushing himself up out of his seat he crossed the short distance to the window with the view that he had spent so many times admiring or questioning. The view that extended out over the East River, over the Queensboro’ Bridge and up the hill towards Jackson Heights and her family home. Would he ever see her again? Or had six months apart been the final nail in the coffin of their somewhat tattered friendship? 

“You can’t keep doing this to yourself,” his mother warned him as she stealthily hovered over to where he stood and took a place next to him, attempting to ascertain what, or who, he was looking for. “Locking yourself away and brooding, you’ll end up like Heathcliff, vengeful and alone, and that’s not what I want for any child of mine.” 

“Mom, I’m fine.” 

Claire placed a hand on his shoulder, “no you’re not, Daniel. You haven’t been since before Betty left.” 

He turned to face her, “no, I haven’t.” He said before looking down at his shoes, “I should’ve never let her go, I should’ve given her a reason to stay.” 

“You love her,” Claire stated watching Daniel nod his head. 

“But it’s too late, she must hate me.” 

A smile hinted on Claire’s lips, “she doesn’t.” 

“How do you know?” Daniel searched his mother’s face for any clues, but she wasn’t giving anything away. 

“I just know.” She countered, “and when she comes home for Christmas, you must make your move. She’ll be here for a week.” 

“A week?” He asked incredulously, “that’s not long enough.” 

“It’s plenty long enough, Daniel.” Claire smirked, “especially once you turn on the charm, otherwise it would’ve taken you a lot longer to get into most of those other girls' panties.” 

“Mom?” He exclaimed, “that was different. I was different.” He said, “very different. I’m not that man anymore, I respect Betty, there’s no way I’d pull any of the stunts I used to use on them with Betty. She’d never let me get away with them for a start.” 

“I wouldn’t expect her too, thankfully. But I do wonder if this is the right environment for you anymore? Credit where credit’s due, Daniel. You’ve done sterling work on this magazine for a good while now, work that both I and Wilhelmina appreciate. You’ve stuck your head on the line for this magazine and the company many times and I do believe that everything you’ve done since your father’s death would’ve made him very proud of you. However, that being said, I don’t think Mode holds any charm for you anymore. You only have to look at this office to understand what it is that you’re going through. I think you’ve stayed at Mode for six months too long, if I’m honest, out of some kind of loyalty to me.” 

Daniel nodded, “you’re right, I don’t really enjoy it anymore.” 

Claire continued, “I also think that this isn’t the right time to move you upstairs either?” 

He shook his head, smiling, “no, Betty would never approve of that kind of nepotism. I was never the one being groomed for that and, honestly mom, I don’t really want it. I’d be kidding everyone if I said I did. I want something for myself, something I can build with my own hands. Maybe Alexis can help mould Tyler, I think he’d be great running Meade actually. With Connor alongside him.” 

“So do I.” Claire grinned, “so what do you really want to do?” 

He looked back out towards Betty’s home as if it were some kind of talisman. “I’ve been thinking about advertising, I seem to be able to do a good job at pitching my ideas to many of the accounts we have here, even when I was at Player, there don’t seem to be many who don’t like what I’m doing. Maybe Meade Publications and Meade Advertising can join forces somehow?” 

Claire nodded, “sounds like a good plan, Daniel. You want to give me your notice?” 

“Can I? Right now?” Daniel’s grin widened as his mother nodded her head once again. “I’ll need some space, and a receptionist.” He muttered. 

“There’s some space on the twenty fifth floor, it’s not quite as fancy as this and I’m not sure if you’ll get the same view but with a lick of paint, your things around you and a few pictures up on the wall I think you’ll like it. I’ll get maintenance to move your stuff down there today. And why not take Amanda with you? She seems to like the idea of a deviation in her career just so long as it gives her a bit of time to properly get her stylist business off the ground. Something that you can also maybe help her with?” 

“You’ve been setting this up?” His eyes sparkled, “thanks mom.” 

“Not too much like nepotism, I hope?” 

He shook his head, “no, it’s up to me to make this work with my own budget from the money I put into to my company. Ok, so you setting me up with space and Amanda is a start, for which I owe you for but how can that be considered nepotism?” 

“Good, at least that’s settled.” Claire acknowledged, grinning at her son’s obvious joy. “Now, about Betty. You two shared so much, for four years, there is no way either one of you should lose sight of that. When she comes home, you’ll be able to take her out to dinner, or dancing, or eating pizza, singing karaoke and chatting on the Brooklyn Bridge till five in the morning if that’s what you want to do; whatever it is that gets you both in the mood for really talking about whatever it is that the two of you have going on.” 

“How did you know about the bridge?” 

“Justin is so easily bought,” Claire smiled wickedly, noticing Daniels’ look of abject horror. “Relax, it was Hilda. We were out buying clothes for the baby when she mentioned some of the stuff she’d been reading in Betty’s diary.” 

“Betty’s diary? But that’s … private.” He remarked. “What else did she write?” 

“Nothing that you need to be concerned about. All you need to do is be yourself and try and pick up from where you left off. Just be a little careful when you discuss how thoughtless you were for not turning up to her party or seeing her off at the airport though.” 

“I will,” he nodded. “Thanks mom.” 

She drew him into a hug, kissed his cheek and attempted to wipe the lipstick from his face, “my pleasure, darling. All I want to see is you happy and what better way than to see you get your heart’s desire.” Smiling, she continued, “now, you are going to come over for the Halloween shindig I’ve got going on this evening, aren’t you? It’s for Molly’s Trust, remember?” 

“How could I forget? You’ve been reminding me since last Christmas. Besides, what else do I have to look forward to?” 

“It’s fancy dress?” 

“Yes, I remember that as well. Unfortunately.” He watched her leave, “see you later.” 

She turned at the door, waved and was gone. He loved his mother dearly, but there always seemed to be an underlying motive to any plans that she made. The party for his birthday had been set up so that he could bury the hatchet with Tyler. A soiree a month or so afterwards had him making it up with Connor. He had to wonder what she had up her sleeve for tonight. 

At least now he had an excuse to leave work early, he picked up his phone. “Hey Justin, are you up to anything?” He asked, “I need help finding a costume for mom’s party. Wanna help?” 

.oOo. 

As the town car pulled up in front of his parents’ house, Daniel got out and walked up the pumpkin lined steps to the imposing front door, now looking somewhat sinister with its Halloween makeover. The door opened before he knocked, seemingly by itself, and as he crossed the threshold he was welcomed in by Dracula. “Ignacio?” 

“Good evening, Daniel”, Ignacio took his hand and pumped it several times, “or is it Aro Volturi?” He grinned, showing his fangs. 

Daniel shrugged, looking down at the vest, ascot and cape that Justin had insisted he get for his costume. “I suppose so, Justin helped me pick it out.” 

“Ah, that would explain it.” The older man nodded, “that kid loves those Twilight movies. Well they all did, Betty especially.” He paused for effect. “Welcome to my lair, or should I say coven, Signor Volturi.” He beckoned Daniel further into the house, “your mother has a great space to work with, I hope you like the improvements I’ve made.” 

Daniel grinned, he wouldn’t be surprised if his mother had already arranged for the Suarez’s to decorate the house for Christmas and any other major holiday, if tonight was anything to go by. “Thank you, Count Dracula, they work a treat, kind of humanises the place,” he patted Ignacio on the back, “I best go and find her. How does she look?” 

“Very regal. She certainly suits being Elizabeth the first.” 

Daniel sniggered as he moved further into his old home. Momentarily he watched the older man greet more guests whilst he found a spot by the foot of the stairs. As the front door once again closed and a couple that he didn’t recognise passed him on the way to the bar, he heard a shrill noise of laughter above him. He turned, following the stair treads upwards until he found the culprits skipping joyfully down the steps. Hilda was first, dressed as Morticia Addams, her heavily pregnant body only just fitting into the tight black lycra and chiffon dress, her dark hair glossy and expertly styled. Amanda followed, looking like a high school zombie, her hair in pigtails and her tiny plaid costume leaving very little to the imagination in true Amanda style. Then finally, “Betty?” he whispered, slinking back into the dark corner, hoping that she wouldn’t see him. “Oh my God.” 

“She’s beautiful, isn’t she? Six months in London has obviously agreed with her,” Claire smirked. 

He merely nodded, drinking her in, the stunning, strapless Etro Monarch Butterfly dress she was wearing fitted her perfectly, the swathes of fabric that looked just like butterfly wings were ruched around her torso, the black and white feathers that were sewn around the bust line gently caressed the skin of her décolletage as she walked, the similarly printed skirt floating out over her hips and falling just above her knee, the separate ‘wings’ of fabric swaying freely around her legs. Her long dark hair had been waved and bounced freely over her shoulders, whilst the most delicate antennae tiara sparkled in the coloured lights that were twinkling around the whole space. He gulped, nodding again, his heart in his mouth. 

“Are you going to talk to her?” 

He caught Ignacio’s eye briefly, the older man smiling at him. Whilst Betty had been in London, Daniel had occasionally found solace in Jackson Heights; Ignacio offering his shoulder to the younger man and advising him when he felt Daniel would listen to his wise words. And now Ignacio’s smile encouraged him, “yes.” He smiled, standing up straight and smoothing down his vest. “Right now, in fact.” 

Walking purposefully through the hall and into the drawing room, he spotted her easily on the other side of the room talking passionately with a couple he knew were representing the foundation that he and his mother had set up after Molly’s death. He found a space between the women, their conversation halting as he put his hand out towards the gentleman, “Dylan, it’s wonderful to see you again, I hope the auction this evening brings in plenty of funds for the foundation.” 

“I’m sure it will Daniel, thank you. Your mother is a genius.” Dylan exclaimed, his free hand attempting to circle around the room. 

“We think the décor is absolutely marvellous.” Dylan’s wife, Imogen, agreed. 

Daniel smiled, “it was actually friends of ours that decorated the place for us and provided the catering.” He looked across to Betty, who looked up at him briefly. “Actually, they’re Betty’s family.” He added, “they’ve done a fantastic job, in fact, I’m sure mom will ask them to decorate for Thanksgiving too.” His hand found the small of Betty’s back, “do you both mind if I steal this young lady away? She’s been abroad for six months and this is the first opportunity I’ve had to welcome her home.” 

“No, of course not.” Dylan enthused, “Betty, it’s been a pleasure meeting you, and the night is still young, I’m sure we’ll have a chance to speak more later on.” 

“I hope so,” Betty shook his hand, “I really would like to write a piece about the foundation.” 

“Well, of course,” Imogen agreed, “but the foundation is really Claire and Daniel’s baby. You’ll probably get a much better story if you interview either of them.” 

“Yes, maybe,” Betty smiled as Daniel led her away from them, opening up a door to the study and waited for her to walk in. 

“Betty, I …” Daniel started, closing the door behind him and walking over to the fire. 

“What the hell was that?” She turned on him, “I was having an enlightening conversation with Dylan and Imogen about the foundation. Then you were there breaking things up.” 

“They’ll still be out there when we’ve finished,” he said, “I’m sorry about the way I interrupted but I had to speak to you.” 

“Because everything has to revolve around you.” 

The force of her statement made him take a step back, “what exactly does that mean?” 

He watched her fold her arms across her chest, “I think you know what.” 

He shook his head, “no, I’m not quite getting the animosity here.” 

“Right,” she spat out, taking a seat on the arm of the dark burgundy leather sofa, “well if you don’t understand how badly you hurt me before I left, then there really is no hope.” 

“Hurt you?” His eyes clouded, “what about you hurting me?” 

“So, we’re back to you again?” 

“Look I’m sorry if I caused you pain, Betty, I never meant to do that. But I was also in a lot of pain, losing you …” 

“Was very hard. I know, your mom told me. The thing is, I always thought you’d be happy for me, that you’d support any decision I made about my career, and not just because we were friends, Daniel. You know I was never truly happy at Mode.” 

He stepped closer to her, “I know, but this had nothing to do with Mode.” 

She stood up, “then what did it have to do with?” 

“I … you …” he stammered, sweat breaking out at the back of his neck and just under his hairline, “I …” 

“You … what Daniel, what is so important that you don’t even have the balls to tell me?” 

Oh yes, six months in London had definitely made Betty grow and not just up into a beautiful woman. He stepped in front of her, a hand reaching down to her waist, the other finding the nape of her neck, his eyes searching hers, “I …” he managed before scooping her to him and kissing her with everything he had within him. For a moment he felt her respond in kind, he could feel the passion igniting between them. They parted, his forehead against hers, their breathing raspy and rapid, his mouth so close to hers, “I love you.” He whispered. 

Her hands were on his chest, pushing him away from her, her right hand making contact with his left cheek, tears brimming along the edge of her lower eyelids. “You love me?” She bit out, breaking for the door, her hand on the handle ready to escape, “well, I hate you.” She screamed, opening the door wide and strutting back out into the drawing room before grabbing a hold of a very surprised Hilda and disappearing into the back of the house somewhere. 

His eyes were still fixed on Betty’s exit point when his mother rescued him, shutting the door to the room and taking him into her arms. “That went well.” 

“Mom?” His eyes were glassy with unshed tears. “She hates me.” 

“No, she doesn’t darling.” Claire responded, “she’s just upset. What happened exactly?”   


“We were talking …” 

Claire shut him up. “It sounded more like arguing.” 

He looked up quickly, “well I was talking and she was … I don’t know … being obstructive? Looking for a fight maybe?” He shook his head. 

“No. She was telling you like it was.” Claire nodded knowingly. “She’s still hurting and you, being you, probably tried to fight fire with fire.” She saw how her words were upsetting him. “Unknowingly, of course.” She added. 

“I always do that, don’t I?” Claire nodded, he sat down, his head in his hands, “I’m always so selfish. I’m no better now than I was when Betty was helping me to improve.” 

Claire sat beside him, taking him into her arms again and cradling him in her lap, “that’s not true, Daniel. You are a much better man than you ever used to be. Look at what you did for Molly? Yes, you have your moments, we all do. And I’m sure Betty realises that too.” She stroked his head, “what happened after that?” 

“She questioned my loyalty to her; that she thought she could still count on me even though she was leaving Mode. I told her it had nothing to do with Mode. So, she asked me what it was to do with,” he sat up, his eyes searching his mother’s, “I just couldn’t tell her, couldn’t put it into words how I was feeling, so I kissed her.” 

A smile slowly appeared on Claire’s face, “and?” She asked. 

“And it was passionate and loving and beautiful. I’ve never felt so alive before especially as Betty was responding to me and kissing me back. And then we parted and I told her that I loved her. I really can’t tell you what changed so quickly but she was pushing me away, slapping my face and striding out of the room, telling me she hated me.” 

“Oh, Daniel. I’m so sorry.” She replied, kissing him on the cheek, “why don’t you get yourself a drink and I’ll see if I can find out what’s going on.” 

“Mom, leave it. You warned me to be careful about what was said. I’ve made my bed …” 

“And you don’t have to lie in it quite yet, Daniel.” Claire said. “I believe that Betty still respects me enough to listen to my reasoning. I love you Daniel, and yes, you may have been a little rash kissing her, but there appears a little more to this than meets the eye and I’m not ready to give up on my own little fantasy just yet.” 

“Which is?” 

“That the two of you marry as soon as can be arranged and she becomes the mother of my grandchildren.” She smirked, stepping out into the throng of revellers, before going in search of her daughter-in-law to be. 

Daniel shook his head, smiling wistfully, why could his mother never just leave things alone? 

.oOo. 

Claire’s search for Betty began with her nephew and brother-in-law, both shrugging their shoulders as Claire asked each of them if they knew where Betty and Hilda had rushed off to. Amanda and Tyler were next, “perhaps Papi Suarez knows.” Amanda responded, before rolling her eyes, “don’t tell me, the lovah’s have had their first fight?” 

Claire drew in a long breath, before exhaling loudly; she loved Amanda and couldn’t wait for her to join the Meade clan as Tyler’s bride, but sometimes she was a little exasperating. Claire smiled sweetly, “something like that. I thought you said that Betty was sad and lonely in London and that she was looking forward to making things up with Daniel?” 

“Isn’t she then?” Amanda asked, “I could’ve sworn that was what she was telling me, between the lines.” 

Claire looked upwards and prayed, “it doesn’t appear so, dear, no. But I’m going to see if I can work a little magic here, if only I can find her.” 

“She’s in the pantry with Hilda, snacking on some of Papi’s flan, I shouldn’t wonder.” Smiling sweetly, she grabbed Tyler’s hand and made her way towards the centre of the room in order to dance with her boyfriend. 

“Sorry, mom,” Tyler mouthed to Claire from over Amanda’s shoulder. 

Claire shook her head before turning on her heel and finding her way into the kitchen. “Hilda? Betty? Are you both in here?” 

Hilda’s arm shot out from the pantry and pulled Claire inside. “I’m sorry Mrs Meade, but sometimes needs must. We’re in hiding.” 

She looked around herself at the odd array of canned goods and ceramic jars. “Strangely reminiscent of when I hid out in Betty’s wardrobe although there’s more space in here.” She looked across the room, Betty’s huddled body looking tiny against the large barrel that she was sat upon. 

“I can’t get her to stop crying, or tell me what’s wrong. She just pulled me in here with her a half hour ago and hasn’t said a word to me since.” 

“It’s ok Hilda, let me try. Do you mind if Betty and I have a chat, alone?” 

“God no, I want to get back to enjoying my husband.” 

Claire’s eyes shone with mirth, “I’m sure it must be tough keeping away from Woody, Hilda.” 

“Yeah, right. Considering he wanted me to be Jessie because Gomez wasn’t available.” Hilda exclaimed, “would this look good in a cowgirl suit? I think not.” She smiled, placing a hand on Betty’s shoulder, “I’ll leave you two to it.” 

“Thanks,” Claire replied, “oh, and if you really can’t keep your hands off him, there are plenty of guest bedrooms on the second floor. I know what it’s like when you’re pregnant and have an itch to scratch.” Hilda nodded, before exiting the small space. 

Claire swished her hand over the top of another barrel in order to clean if off and sat next to Betty, an arm was soon around Betty’s back whilst attempting to cradle Betty in her lap much as she had done with her son moments before. “Betty,” she cooed. “What’s wrong?” 

Betty sniffled, “nothing.” She whined. 

“This isn’t nothing,” Claire soothed, “is this because Daniel kissed you?” 

Betty shot up in her seat, “he told you about that?” Claire nodded. “I … yes … no … I don’t know. I’m so confused by everything that I’m not sure why I’m crying.” 

“What are you confused about?” 

Betty calmed down before responding, wiping the tears away from her cheeks with the palms of her hands, “He said he loves me?” 

Claire nodded, “he does, Betty, very much.” 

“Your theory was right.” Claire nodded again. “Ok, so why wait until now to tell me? He had so many opportunities.” Betty asked. 

“Just for one moment consider what he’s been through with women. Sophia played him for a fool. Lucy, and Alexis, left him with a nephew he thought was his son. Renee was unhinged. And Molly, well we all know what Molly’s death did to him.” Claire took Betty’s hands in her own, “he’s had a hard time with women. Then he finally realises what his heart has been trying to tell him for far too long and it’s too late, you,” she rested a hand against Betty’s cheek, “stole his heart and flew across an ocean with it.” 

Betty closed her eyes and looked down at her small hands clasped between one of Claire’s, “I know,” she whispered, before returning her gaze back up to Claire’s face, “I mean, he stole mine too. Although I didn’t realise until I’d read his editor’s letter in the hundredth edition.” 

Claire couldn’t help but smile, “you love him?” She watched Betty nod her head. “So why are you hiding out in here?” 

“I figured this was probably the one place where I wouldn’t be found. Somewhere that I could slip quietly away from once the auction had started and make my way home. I wouldn’t be able to bear seeing him upset with me.” 

“He’s not upset but he thinks you hate him.” 

“I just said that because I was upset.” 

“Betty, I know I’m not your mother but I do think of you as one of my own. The thought of you and Daniel having a solid relationship together fills me with joy but I have to ask, what do you really want?” 

“If you’d asked me that question six months ago, I would definitely have said my career.” 

“Even if you’d known how Daniel felt about you before you made the decision to move to Dunne?” 

Betty nodded, “but I didn’t.” 

“I know. Please, just indulge me here?” 

“Ok, well, had I known, I guess I would’ve stayed but I would’ve still wanted to get out of Mode.” 

Claire nodded, “I understand. Do you think that Daniel would’ve followed you had he known how you actually felt about him?” 

“I don’t know, I’m no model.” 

“Betty, Molly was no model either. He loved her so very much. But I can categorically say, with my hand on my heart, that that boy doesn’t just love you, he adores you; and, what’s more, he wants the chance to worship you too. Just remember what he wrote in his letter if you don’t believe me.” 

Betty grinned her beautiful smile as she closed her eyes and thought about the words in his letter, “he does, doesn’t he? That was some love letter he wrote me,” she blushed, “and in a very public way too.” She stated, hugging Claire to her. “Thank you, Mrs Meade.” 

“Betty, I think at this point in our relationship you should at least call me Claire, that’s unless you want to try mom out.” 

Betty giggled, “I think we best stick with first name terms for the time being, at least until I’ve spoken to Daniel.” 

“Very well,” Claire smiled, “so, I suggest you go and freshen up and I’ll see if I can find my son. I’ll meet you back here in fifteen minutes, ok?” 

“Ok.” Betty agreed, “thank you Claire.” 

“Well I’m not just doing this for you, Betty. I’m doing this for my son too. As well as for your father and me of course.” Claire got up from the barrel and smoothed down the full skirt of her Elizabeth R costume. “See you soon.” She stepped out of the pantry and back out into the hallway, Betty followed close behind and disappeared up the stairs, whilst Claire turned left and made for the bar. “Matteo, has my son been here?” 

“Si senora. He was here about half an hour ago. He gave me a hundred dollar bill for a bottle of scotch and then he left.” 

“He left? He went upstairs left? Or out in the garden left?” 

“No, he left.” 

“Oh, dear God,” Claire turned quickly and made for the podium where Ignacio was readying things for the auction. “Ignacio, I know that you have been like a father to Daniel these last few months, so I’m hoping that you may have a clue where my son went?” 

Ignacio shrugged, “I don’t honestly know. I saw him at the bar asking for a drink and when I spoke to him, he mentioned that he was going to take a walk. But I didn’t question him further, he looked so sad, I felt it was best for him to get whatever it was out of his system.” Betty had now joined them, “the only thing that he said that may make some sense to someone was that he was going to make for the river and he hoped to be there for five.” 

“I know where he’s going,” Betty screamed, jumping up and down before hugging her father and Claire in turn, her face once again looking flawless. She ran for the door, picking up her coat as the door automatically opened for her. “I’m going to the Brooklyn Bridge, wish me luck.” 

“Good luck,” Claire and Ignacio shouted out as Betty hailed a cab and popped inside. “I think we may finally have a reason to celebrate, Ignacio.” Claire looped her arm through his. 

“About time too, what with his crying on my shoulder and her whining over the phone, I was beginning to think that only Hilda was going to give me grandchildren. Let’s hope they can just overlook what’s gone before and make out.” 

“I’ll drink to that,” Claire agreed, “Matteo, a tonic water for the Count here and I’ll have a tomato juice.” As soon as they received their drinks, they chinked glasses. “To grandchildren.” Claire toasted. 

“To grandchildren, and plenty of them,” Ignacio added. 

“Agreed,” Claire responded, “plenty of them.” 

.oOo. 

Wrapped up in the huge black woollen coat she’d bought on a shopping spree in London with Christina, Betty swung herself out of the cab and began the walk over to the centre of Brooklyn Bridge. If she was lucky, she’d still find him there, especially as the ride over had her cab being diverted several times in order to get around the Village Halloween Parade. Why on earth had she forgotten about that? 

She swept past people dressed up as ghouls, witches and zombies, dodged around amorous couples wondering if she was ever going to find him, stopping just as suddenly when she saw him stood in exactly the same spot that he had occupied when they’d gone there after Sophia-gate all those years before. “You know I still hate you, don’t you?” She remarked as she watched him slowly tear his eyes away from the sparkling city and look at her. 

“What are you doing here, Betty?” His tone sullen. 

She stepped towards him, “I’ve come to see if the view is still as pretty as it was when we first looked at it together?” 

“And is it?” 

“I don’t know,” she exclaimed, “I may need some help from you.” She stood in front of him, her hands on his chest, “kiss me and we’ll see.” She grinned. 

“Why should I?” He smirked, “I really don’t want to kiss someone who says they hate me.” 

“Did I say hate?” She watched him nod as her hands trailed up towards his neck and secured themselves together behind it, “I meant to say love. I love you, Daniel.” 

“You do?” He asked earnestly. 

“Mh huh,” she nodded, “ever since I read your letter in the hundredth edition, I realised that I’d made a very silly mistake.” 

“Well we can’t be smart all of the time, I guess. I was pretty stupid too, letting you go when I should’ve held onto you. Even if it meant following you across the Atlantic.” 

Betty pulled back a little bit, her eyes scrutinising his face, “what are you saying?” 

He caught a stray strand of her hair, hooking it behind her ear, “that I would follow you to the ends of the earth knowing that you feel the same way about me, as I do you. That I love you Betty, with all of my heart. That I want to make you mine and spend the rest of my life loving you. That I want you to be the mother of my children.” 

She smiled again, grinning broadly as he continued to tell her how much he needed and adored her. “Kiss me, Daniel, please?” 

He didn’t have to be asked again, bending his head down, his lips seeking out hers, the plump, ripe, fleshy mouth that he had envisioned kissing for so long now. He slid his tongue along the crease between her lips, seeking entrance as he deepened the kiss. A moan elicited at the back of her throat causing a riptide within him, egging him on but he knew he had to stop otherwise they might both end up on page six, and as great as that may have sounded to him years before now, he knew, it would be devastating for Betty, let alone himself. He ended the kiss, cradling her head in his hands. “I love you, Betty, but I’m not about to put us centre stage in some tabloid newspaper because I can’t control myself.” 

“Ok, so where do we go from here, Daniel? I don’t have a place here anymore, and I don’t think it would be a good idea to try and get back to yours or your mother’s, not with the parade still going on.” 

“Right, well I guess we should find a room for the night.” Daniel said, as he picked up her hand, “or should that be two?” 

“I think one will do us, after all we’ve wasted enough time over the last four and a half years already, don’t you think?” 

“Betty, not that I’m complaining here, but what happened to that sweet girl who left Mode and flew across an ocean?” 

“She woke up and realised that there was no point resting on her laurels. I love you, you love me, let’s finally do something about that and show each other how we feel. After all, Daniel, what do you think all of this was for, the dress, the hair, the lip gloss?” She smirked. 

“You did this for me?” 

“Well who else?” She smiled, “I figure I’m onto stage four now anyway, you know. Like when I dressed up as a butterfly for work and had your boxers thrown at my head four years ago, I guess I was really a caterpillar at that point, at stage two, enjoying the milkwood before I found a spot to hang upside down as a chrysalis and undergo all of those changes, through stage three, to bring me here, the Monarch emerging as a fully grown butterfly.” 

“And a beautiful butterfly at that, Betty.” 

“Thank you,” she blushed. “Anyway, the Monarch, once it emerges into the world lives between two and six weeks, so I’d hate to leave this mortal coil without at least one night of passion. I mean, let’s face it, I never got much of that with any of my other boyfriends.” 

“Not even Hartley?” 

“No,” she shook her head. “Not after you punched him out and certainly not after the baby scare. Things in that department kind of went downhill after that.” 

Daniel stopped dead in his tracks. “Baby scare?” 

Betty turned to face him, “yeah. Of all the things I just said that was what you picked up on?” 

“It’s ok, Betty, I don’t really want to know, just understand that if anything like that happened between us …” 

“You’d marry me in a heartbeat?” 

“To be honest, I’d do that now anyway, if I could. I don’t want to spend another day or night parted from you and what better way than to stop any unwarranted attention from any other men than to have my ring on your finger.” 

“You’re very sure I’d say yes.” 

Daniel smiled, continuing to walk hand in hand with her towards their destination, “I am, because if you do really feel anything near to what I’m feeling then I know you’re not going to want to spend another second away from me either.” 

Now it was her turn to stop, “you’re right, I’m not.” 

She watched him smile, “glad to hear it.” 

“Not that I have anywhere else to go anyway.” 

His eyebrows knitted together, “what do you mean?” 

Daniel flinched slightly as she rested her right hand against his left cheek, before reaching up and kissing him on the spot where she had struck him earlier. “I quit my job.” 

“You did?” She watched him searching her face, “why?” 

“Because I wasn’t enjoying my life. All I’ve ever wanted to do was run my own magazine, I somehow thought that if I took that job in London, I would be complete. And I was, for a while. For a short while. I had everything I ever wanted until your package arrived. And then, little by little, I realised that nothing in my life would ever be complete unless you were in it too.” 

“So, you quit?” 

“Yep, I quit. I went into Lyndsey Dunne’s office at the end of September, told him I couldn’t live without you, thanked him for the opportunity and said that I’d be leaving in a month. I mean I have to go back and pack up all of my stuff in a few weeks but essentially I’m home, for good.” 

He was grinning at her. “I quit too.” 

“You did?” Betty’s eyes widened in shock. 

He nodded, “probably not quite as voraciously as you did but mom accepted my resignation this morning, with immediate effect.” 

“So we’re both unemployed?” 

“Not quite. I’m setting up an advertising agency, mom is letting me have some space and Amanda very cheaply and I’ll start off with a number of contracts from Meade Publications, so essentially a better deal than I would’ve normally got if I’d done everything by myself, but …” 

“But it’s all yours.” She smiled, happy that he finally seemed so passionate about something of his own. “Ok, so it’s only me looking for something, that’s not such a bad situation for us to be in, is it?” 

They’d begun walking again, Betty’s arm hooked through Daniel’s, “actually, I know how uninterested you are with nepotism but I have a friend who has a publication without an EIC, it’s somewhat similar to the magazine you helped set up for Dunne, but there’s a bigger budget and you’d have a freer reign.” 

“And this friend?” 

“Is not mom, he’s an old Harvard buddy. My dad and his dad go way back. Anyway, I was chatting to him this afternoon about the agency and if I’d be able to help them out with any of their advertisers as I know they don’t have an internal team, when he asked me if I knew anyone I could recommend, seeing as I was no longer in the market. It might not be what you’re looking for so you can always turn it down but it wouldn’t hurt to have a chat with him, would it?” 

“No, it wouldn’t. After all, it’s not always what you know …” She left her sentence hanging. “And it’s not necessarily how you get the job but what you do with it. A good friend told me that once upon a time.” 

“A good friend, huh?” he teased. 

“A very good friend.” She grinned, stopping once more and pulling him down for a heated kiss. 

“As nice as that was, Betty, I really want to just get you into the warm and see what other metamorphosis’ have been going on underneath that dress of yours.” 

“Oh that’s pretty much the same as before,” she giggled, as he began walking a little more quickly. 

“I don’t doubt that, but I’m judging that on all of those hugs you gave me through all of those layers of clothing you always insisted on wearing. Seeing you in that dress tonight made me realise just what I’ve been missing out on all of these years.” 

“And that goes double for me.” She smirked. 

“Really? You were checking me out.” 

“Daniel, do you really think that I didn’t at least wonder about you a tiny bit?” 

“I’ve got to say, Betty, I think London has done wonders with your confidence. So, tell me about it? Did you have a little fantasy about me?” 

“Well, I think Justin must have been reading my diary.” 

As they entered through the doors of the Marriott Hotel on the Brooklyn side of the bridge and stood by the reception desk awaiting their turn he asked, “what do you mean?” 

“This, what you’re wearing.” 

“Oh, yeah. Your dad mentioned that you were all into Twilight or something. Which one did you prefer? Edward, I bet.” He said, before asking the receptionist if the bridal suite was available. 

“No, he was far too young for me, I much preferred Carlisle.” 

They headed for the elevators. “Really, why?” 

“Because he had manners, he knew how to treat a lady. I always thought you were more akin to him than any of the other’s, especially as when I was having these little fantasies, I saw the way you were treating Molly.” 

He seemed sad momentarily, before reaching his hand up and cupping her cheek, his thumb lightly dusting over her soft skin. His smile was lazy, “I realise now that Molly was a means to an end.” 

“Which was?” 

“To wait until you were ready for me, and in the meantime grow as a human being.” 

She placed her hand over his, “you are the most amazing man I have ever met, Daniel Meade, I’m only sorry it took me so long to figure it out.” 

“Don’t be, I don’t think this would’ve been right for either one of us if we hadn’t had to have waited like we did.” He held her hand reverently as they slowly made their way down the hallway and into the suite that Daniel had paid for. He helped her out of her coat whist she undid the cloak from over his shoulders and let it fall to the floor. 

“I’m liking this ascot, Daniel.” 

“Maybe I’ll bring it out on special occasions then but I’m not wearing one all of the time, that wasn’t the best idea Marc ever had.” 

Betty sniggered, “yes, I can’t say it worked at work but in the bedroom it’s definitely a keeper,” she pulled at the satin fabric and let that fall to the ground as well before sliding her hands up his chest and undoing the buttons of the velvet vest. 

His hands where discovering her too and as they kissed, he found the zipper of her dress, edging it down slowly so that that too joined the ever growing pile of clothing on the floor. He pulled her closer, his hands scouring her naked back for the clasp of a bra. He stopped what he was doing, looking down at the top of her naked breasts hunched against his chest. “No bra, Betty. What has London done to you?” 

“Not so much London as the thought of you having your hands on me, Daniel.” She grinned, stepping away from him and sauntering over to the bottle of champagne in the wine cooler and holding it up for him to take and open. “Plus, I thought a bra would ruin the line of that dress.” 

He unwrapped the foil from around the wire and cork, “Mode managed to teach you something then,” he said, watching her intently as she found two glasses and stood confidently in front of him in only a thong, a pair of black sheer hold ups and the heels she had been wearing all night. “Betty, you’re stunning.” 

“Thank you,” she smiled shyly, unsure of what to do next. 

But she needn’t have worried, he put the bottle down onto a table and took the glasses from her to place with the discarded bottle. “We don’t need champagne, Betty.” He smiled, slowly walking towards her as he discarded his shoes, socks and pants. His shirt was soon gone the same way too as he backed her up against the door frame of the bedroom. “Do you like what you see?” 

She gulped, nodding her head, and smiling. This was finally it, the moment when they would be united in their love for one another and show each other how they felt. “Yes, very much.” She said, pushing him away slightly so that she could breathe as well as step out of her shoes. She ducked underneath his arm and moved to take a seat on the edge of the bed, rolling down the stockings and throwing each one to him as he came closer to her. She lay back on the bed, pushing herself into the centre as he stood over her, watching her as she slowly sat up and rolled the thong down over her hips and off her legs, laying back onto the covers once again as soon as she was naked. They stared at each other for what seemed like forever and she delighted in seeing him completely naked as he too took his time to remove the one last garment he was wearing. “Daniel, I’m getting cold.” 

He closed his eyes. She watched his Adam’s apple bob as he gulped. Sitting up, she grabbed at a hand and put it over a breast, his eyes opening as soon as contact was made. “I’m sorry Betty, I’ve wanted this for so long and now I’m nervous as hell.” 

She pulled his arm so that he had to crawl onto the bed, his body moving up over her and covering hers with his. “Why?” She asked. 

“Because this is a big deal. You’re a big deal. I don’t want to get this wrong.” He said, lovingly stroking her hair away from her face and over the counterpane. 

“You won’t Daniel,” she encouraged, “we love each other, nothing else matters. I’m a little nervous too, maybe that champagne would be a good idea after all.” 

“No, I want to be completely sober for this.” 

“What about that bottle of scotch you paid for?” 

“I gave it to some homeless guy.” He shrugged, as she laughed heartily. “I think he thought all his Christmases had come at once.” 

She bit her lip, her hands caressing his back, his shoulder blades and up into his hair. “I’m hoping you’ll do that for me too,” she said coyly. 

“What? Give you a bottle of scotch?” 

Betty hit his arm, “don’t be such a tease.” 

He grinned, pinning her arms above her head. “Ok, Miss Suarez, how do you want to play this?” 

“However you desire, Daniel. I’m sure I’m going to be a student here for a while.” 

“Not true, you have taught me so much and I’m still learning from you, I think we’ll be learning a lot more about each other too as we begin to explore this side of our relationship.” 

“Then let’s get on with it,” she said, managing to break free and pushing him onto his back so that she was straddling him. “If you’re not going to take charge then it looks like I’m going to have to,” she said, as she hovered over him, ready to take him inside of her. 

He grinned up at her, holding her hands and using his greater strength to get her back underneath him, “not so fast, Suarez. I’m all for girls on top but right now this is my time to shine.” 

“Then do it already.” Betty almost screamed, giggling as he tickled her underneath her ribs. “I am so frustrated that I may have to sort myself out here Daniel, if you don’t get on with it.” 

He held her fast, his body stopping her from making any sudden moves. “Frustrated, huh? How long exactly? I’ve been waiting for this since before your sister’s wedding. Since the visit to the Guggenheim when you got your braces off. I’ve not had sex in a little over a year Betty, waiting for you like I did.” 

“A year? That’s nothing, I’ve not had sex since Matt left me for Botswana. What’s that? Eighteen months, at least.” 

“Ok, you win. Let’s get this over with, and for the record, I’d love to see you get yourself off, but right now I’m doing it, ok?” 

“You seem to have lost all of that nervous energy you had before?” 

“You and me both.” He said as he kissed his way down south, between the valley of her breasts and ended up at her core. His tongue and lips were doing things to her that she had never felt or dared to imagine before and she was soon crying out his name, her fingers in his hair, her legs limp over his shoulders as she writhed for the last time and came quickly. 

“Oh my God,” she breathed out. “That was incredible.” 

“Yeah, for me too, hearing you screaming my name out like that, wow.” She could taste herself on him as he kissed her, seeming strangely exotic and intoxicating, and it wasn’t long before she felt herself getting ready for him again. She threw her head back as he slowly entered her, his mouth at her neck, the faintest butterfly kisses peppering her skin as she groaned, her body responding to his ministrations in ways that she never thought she was capable of. “I love you, Betty,” she heard him say softly before he was pumping into her harder and deeper, their united friction causing her to moan again and again, until she was calling out to him, the fireworks of her orgasm exploding in her head and through to the tips of her body as she felt him spill his seed within her. “Betty,” he whispered, close to her ear, his kisses soft but insistent as they fell upon her skin. 

For several minutes she didn’t move, her eyes finally opening when she felt him caressing her cheek with delicate fingertips. The gorgeous blue cerulean of his own watching her intently, his lazy smile stirring things within her again so quickly just from the sight of it. “Marry me?” She asked. 

His smile grew into a grin, but he merely nodded his head before pulling the cover around them and cocooning them both within it. “When?” 

“When’s the next flight to Vegas?” She grinned, closing her eyes once again and drifting off into one of the most peaceful sleeps she’d ever had, safely ensconced within Daniel’s arms. 

.oOo. 

It never seemed to stop amazing Betty how much the merest glimpse of her husband of two years had her knees turning to jelly and would make her act like a love-struck teenager, complete with butterflies in her stomach and goose flesh up each arm. And today was no exception, especially considering that she was watching him work, the sight of which added an extra thrill, for she knew if he did well and won the account then she’d be in for one hell of a treat once they got home. 

The meeting finished, he shook hands with everyone and ushered them out of the Madison Avenue offices that Meade Advertising had procured six months before. Betty met her husband and slid her arms around his waist as she rested her cheek against his chest, “how did you do?” 

“Great, honey,” Daniel exclaimed, kissing the tip of her nose. “I think that’s another one in the bag. I won’t know until lunchtime tomorrow but I’m almost certain that they’re going to use us for their next campaign.” He paused, looking her up and down at arm’s length. “Is that dress new?” He asked, before adopting the lazy smile he reserved only for her. 

“Mh hmm, do you like it?” She asked, her eyes sparkling. 

“You know my thoughts about you wearing clothes, it’s only for the sake of decency that I allow you to wear anything outside of our home as it is.” 

“And here I was thinking that the only reason you let me wear clothing outside of the house was so that no other man would get his rocks off looking at my highly desirable body.” She sniggered. 

“That as well.” He replied, admiring the cut of the lemon dress that she wore. “I can’t wait to get you out of it though,” he growled in her ear. 

“Will you two get a room already?” Amanda shouted as she passed them to clean up the boardroom. 

“We’re going, Amanda.” Daniel called out, as he picked up his jacket from the coat stand and slung it over his shoulder. His other arm wrapped around Betty’s waist, pulling her to him. 

“What’s wrong with her?” Betty asked, as soon as they were in the elevator and kissing each other fervently again. 

“She’s pregnant.” 

“I thought she was happy about starting a family with your brother.” 

“She is, but I think it’s just suddenly dawned on her that she might not get her figure back quite as easily as she thought she might, especially if she keeps eating a hundred weight of candy every day.” 

“Aren’t you glad you married me?” She quizzed, “that’s one thing I’m never going to be bothered about, as long as our baby is healthy, I don’t care if I don’t lose all of the baby weight after the birth. As long as you still love me once the baby is born.” 

“God, Betty, you’ve got to know how much you turn me on with all of this baby talk, and I will always love you, whatever your size. I can’t wait to see you with bigger boobs and your body growing with our baby.” 

“Glad to hear it, Daniel.” She responded, kissing him deeply. “Can we order take out? I really just want you to take me to bed as soon as we get home, please?” 

Daniel grinned, “As you’ve asked so nicely, I think that can be arranged.” He said as they slid into the back of their town car. She started unravelling his tie and unbuttoning his shirt, “do you think you can hold on just a sec, Betty,” she pouted, “just long enough for me to order some food anyway.” 

“Ok, Daniel, you’ve got five minutes, and then you’re mine.” 

He grinned, taking out his cell and ringing the all too familiar number. By the time they got home, he was missing his belt and his shirt was flapping opening, whilst Betty pulled the two sides of her dress together as they ran up the steps of the brownstone townhouse they had lived in together for eighteen months. She was pulling the dress from her body as soon as he had shut the door behind them knowing that they had half an hour until the food arrived. The clasp of her bra was soon opened by his dexterous hands and their naked torsos crashed together as he lifted her into his arms, her legs around his waist as he ran up the stairs holding her to him and into their bedroom. “Oh, God, Betty,” Daniel breathed, “what you do to me?” His hands running through her hair as he sat on the edge of the bed. “We are seriously going to have to think about having a nanny annexe downstairs so that junior doesn’t catch an eyeful each night of his sex crazed parents as soon as they both get home from work. 

“You think we’re still not going to be able to get enough of one another when we do finally have a child?” 

“You know you can’t ever get enough of me baby?” He teased, taking her right nipple into his mouth and playfully caressing the taught flesh, a hand crept down her thigh before his fingers were deftly lifting away the fabric of her panties and sliding within her silky folds and velvety canal. 

She bit down gently on his shoulder, “ok, you’re right. It’s been two years since that first night together in Brooklyn and your mother is still making sure your bedroom at home is nicely laid out just in case we can’t make it through an evening without ravishing one another, so why would it stop just because I’m pregnant, right?” 

He held her to him as she rode his fingers, “absolutely, baby. Even in that presentation today, I was thinking about what I wanted to do to you tonight.” 

“Oh, God.” She breathed out, “and what did you decide upon?” She gasped as his fingers moved more quickly, as his thumb smoothed over her clit. Then he stopped what he was doing completely. “What the ..? Daniel?” 

He looked deeply into her eyes, “You said, just because I’m pregnant.” 

“What?” 

“Betty, just now, you said ‘so why would it stop, just because I’m pregnant’.” 

“What I meant was … ‘why would it stop, just because I was pregnant’.” 

“But that’s not what you said?” 

“No. You’re right. I didn’t.” 

His eyes were still searching her face, “Betty? Are you?” 

“Am I what?” 

“Don’t tease me honey, are you pregnant, yes or no. One simple word, that’s all I need.” 

She got up from out of his lap. “Yes.” 

“How long have you known?” 

“This morning, officially.” 

“Officially?” He asked, that lazy smile appearing on his face once more. 

“I took a test two weeks ago, and I was going to tell you but I just wanted to make sure that it was all real and that everything was ok before I told you. And then you came home with the Revlon brief and I didn’t want to say anything in case it messed with your head …” 

He got up from his seat on the bed and strode over to her purposefully, drawing her into his embrace the same way he had when he’d first kissed her at his mother’s Halloween party. “It’s ok, Betty, I’m not mad that you’ve known for two weeks longer than I have. I guess, in a way, it makes sense. We’ve never spent a night apart since Brooklyn, and weekends have been one long crazy sex fest for the most part, but I have to say I was a bit surprised last week when you ravished me in the elevator at work, I haven’t done that kind of thing in years. Obviously, junior has been increasing your libido, honey. Not that I’m complaining, you understand. I love the fact that my wife can’t get enough of me, it’s allowing me to cut down on the gym time.” He kissed her thoroughly, deeply, passionately. Resting his forehead against hers, his lips mere millimetres away from her mouth, he breathed out, “I love you, Betty. I can’t wait to be a daddy, my little mommy.” 

She smiled, holding his head in her hands and kissing him back. “Me either, daddy. I love you, Daniel.” She said, walking him back towards the bed and straddling him once he’d sat back down, “but please, and before I become even more frustrated, make love to me Daniel, I need you inside me. Now.” 

“Yes, ma’am.” He replied before stripping off her panties and pulling down his own pants and boxers just enough so that she could slide onto him and writhe away above him as he held her hand. He pulled her down to meet him, “I love this bossy side to you, Betty, I hope this isn’t just a side effect of your being pregnant?” 

She ground into him again and again, arching backwards as they came together, crying out the other’s name before Betty collapsed on top of him. “I hope not too, Daniel, because I’m liking this side of me as well.”


End file.
